Tempting Tidbit Trials – Nutella Cupcakes for 2

For my first baking experience this year, I jumped right into my New Year’s Resolution list and picked the scrumptious looking Nutella Cupcakes for 2 from my must-make list. After all the Christmas baking, I was happy to take some time off, but with the last gingerbread cookie eaten and the last Christmas brownie gone from the freezer, it was time to start again.

Nutella is always a good place to start. With World Nutella Day fast approaching, what better opportunity try out some good treats. Plus these cupcakes are perfect for fitting into the New Year, New You theme of portion control. Only 2 means you can’t go too crazy.

It’s also a good opportunity to practice waiting and build the self-control muscle. Check out those happy little cupcakes baking away. But happily, with this recipe, you don’t have to sacrifice quality to get a smaller quantity. I found the chocolate cupcake recipe was nice and dense and chocolatey. If anything the batter was almost too dense. I think next time I’d add a touch more milk, but there will definitely be a next time.

The cupcakes baked up into nice little domes. They didn’t sink or spillover. And the frosting, oh the frosting. It was perfect – just enough Nutella, not too sweet, the perfect consistency for piping. Yum! Do you want some too? Check out the recipe.

Here’s What you need…

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)

1/8 teaspoon + 1/16 teaspoon baking soda

1/16 teaspoon salt

1/16 teaspoon instant coffee powder (optional, but recommended) – I didn’t use it

3 tablespoon milk – next time I would add a bit more

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Nutella Frosting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup Nutella

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2-1 teaspoon milk

Here’s what you do…

Preheat oven to 350°F (150C fan oven) and line a cupcake pan with 2 paper liners.

Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes – yes you have to wait for them to cool =p

And for a resolution update…

I’m still following Carrots N Cake’s New Year’s challenge – 3 weeks of food logging: check. 2 weeks of at least 4 workouts: check (the first week I got in 5, plus a nice long walk in the woods on Sunday, woot woot!). And for this week – 1 new healthy recipe tried: check salmon and white bean recipe Plus, I got my 10k steps all week.

I managed to Skype/FaceTime two of my good friends. I sent out pictures to my family. And I journaled every day.

Oh yeah, and I made the above recipe. Only just 3 weeks in, but so far so good =)